Residents in Laikipia welcome Batuk return, say it safeguards jobs

Some Laikipia residents have welcomed the government's approval of the continued presence of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk), saying the decision safeguards local jobs, businesses and the county's economy. They, however, called on the Kenyan and British governments to conclude a long-term Kenya-UK Defence Cooperation Agreement, saying repeated short-term licence renewals create uncertainty for businesses, workers and communities that depend on the military training programme. Former Laikipia East MP Mutahi Kimaru said the restoration of Batuk's operating licence had spared Laikipia from significant economic losses that would have resulted had the planned military exercises been cancelled. "We are happy that Batuk's licence has been restored, although we understand it is only temporary," Kimaru aid. "If the unit that was expected in September had failed to come, Nanyuki and Laikipia would have lost more than Sh1 billion that would have been injected into the local economy." He said Batuk contributes an estimated Sh6.8 billion annually to the economies of Laikipia and Kenya through local procurement, employment and business generated during military training exercises. Kimaru urged Nairobi and London to negotiate a long-term agreement instead of renewing licences every few months, saying the recurring uncertainty affects local businesses and residents who benefit from Batuk's presence. His remarks come days after Kenya and the United Kingdom resolved a diplomatic standoff that had threatened this year's joint military exercises. The dispute arose after delays in renewing licences required for Batuk operations, prompting Britain to announce the cancellation of Exercise Haraka Storm. Following talks between the two governments, Kenya agreed to issue the necessary approvals, allowing the exercise to proceed later this year while discussions on the renewed Kenya-UK Defence Cooperation Agreement continue. While supporting Batuk's continued presence, Kimaru said concerns raised by local communities should be addressed through dialogue rather than terminating the partnership. He identified access to casual employment at the military camp as one of the key grievances raised by residents. "The camp cannot be in Nanyuki while young people from this area are denied casual job opportunities. Those are issues we can resolve without ending the partnership," he said. Kimaru also criticised National Assembly Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee chairperson Nelson Koech over remarks linking Batuk to what he termed rampant murder and rape in the region. He challenged the committee to provide statistical evidence to support the claims, while maintaining that every reported case of abuse should be thoroughly investigated and victims accorded justice. The parliamentary committee had earlier documented allegations of human rights abuses, environmental damage and other misconduct involving British soldiers, findings that informed calls for stronger accountability measures in the renewed defence agreement. Parliament's review also focused on issues of criminal accountability, environmental protection and compensation for affected communities before the two governments reached a breakthrough that allowed the military training programme to continue. Resident Jackson Mwangi said Batuk has created employment opportunities for many young people in Laikipia, enabling them to support their families, pay school fees and improve their livelihoods. "The British Army has helped us a lot. Even when I joined secondary school, I worked at Batuk to raise my school fees. We welcome the government's decision to renew the agreement, but we want a long-term arrangement because many people depend on those opportunities," Mwangi said.